[C320-list] Holding Tank Vent

[Fred LEcuyer]

Karl,

The vent on the hull is L-shaped. You just run a hose on it and it's enough?

Fred
First Light
Hull #926

> Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:52:58 -0400
> From: kmielen at suddenlink.net
> To: C320-List at catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Holding Tank Vent
> 
> I run a stream of fresh water through my vent line every time I pump
> out. Keeps the line clear and the shower of clean water helps keep my
> level gauge clean.
> Just be sure to let the water get sucked in in a way that still allows
> air to be drawn in. You don't want to risk collapsing that tank.
> 
> Karl
> 
> On Mon, Apr 16, 2012 at 4:41 PM, Paul Rickman <ilove2sail at verizon.net> wrote:
> > Today I started taking everything apart to replace the holding
> > tank vent. What a job and I'm not done yet. What I found when
> > taking the outside fitting off is a cotton like substance that was
> > plugging up the vent. I took a small screw driver and raked it
> > into and back out of the thru hull portion and found the same
> > substance. It was completely stopped up. Now with some
> > reasoning and logic, there was no stink when I bought the
> > boat but over time the stink became worse and worse until
> > last year it was unbearable.  Since I now have the cabinet out,
> > and messenger lines tied to all hoses and so fourth, I'll complete
> > the job and replace the fitting -- I don't want to have to do this
> > again. Now, for those of you who have not started I would take
> > the outside fitting off and clean it out, using something like pipe
> > cleaners back and forth in the thru hull. You could even run
> > a little water thru it. Put it back together to see if you have any
> > improvement. If so, keep cleaning it once every 5 years or so.
> > So far I haven't looked for the thru hull but I think it must have
> > an L fitting, otherwise the hose will eventually colapse onto itself
> > and stop the venting process.
> >
> > Paul
> > Affinity 657
> > Bay Bridge Marina
> > Chesapeake Bay, Maryland
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> >  From: Mike Ott <wmo48 at yahoo.com>
> > To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> > Sent: Monday, April 2, 2012 2:37 PM
> > Subject: Re: [C320-list] Holding Tank Vent
> >
> > Pat,
> > Thanks. I sewed seizing line to the hoses and will lube the hell out of them
> > when I put it back together.  I tried the technique before I went to far and it
> > work, so on to replace the vent.
> > Mike
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: Pat Ireland <cherie320 at gmail.com>
> > To: C320-List at catalina320.com
> > Sent: Mon, April 2, 2012 1:58:39 PM
> > Subject: Re: [C320-list] Holding Tank Vent
> >
> > Mike
> >
> > There are two approaches.  Use a messenger line tied to each hose to pull
> > them back into the holes in the cabinet.  Wire worked better for me.  The
> > other approach is to take the back off the closet and access the hoses from
> > behind the liner.  I did the messenger route.  It's not a snap, but works.
> > The closet back sounds like the trick, but I have not tried it yet.  Search
> > the forum history.  Jeff discussed.  Would never have figured it out
> > without the help.
> >
> > Pat, Cherie, 801
> >
> > On Mon, Apr 2, 2012 at 9:49 AM, Mike Ott <wmo48 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Jeff,
> >> I checked out your photo gallery but I'm having a real bear of time
> >> getting the
> >> 'medicine cabinet' out.  I have removed 4 screws holding the cabinet to
> >> the IGU
> >> and the 2 anti-siphon valves so now I have a loose cabinet with 4 hose
> >> sticking
> >> into it.  The cabinet won't swing out far enough from the top to pull it
> >> out,
> >> there is not enough clearance in the IGU cutout.  There is a lot of slop
> >> in the
> >> hoses so they can be pushed below the cabinet which would free the cabinet
> >> but
> >> how would I thread the hoses back into the cabinet ?  Did you have this
> >> same
> >> problem ?
> >> Mike
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ________________________________
> >> From: Jeff Hare <catalina at thehares.com>
> >> To: "C320-List at Catalina320.com" <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> >> Sent: Sun, April 1, 2012 7:49:46 PM
> >> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Holding Tank Vent
> >>
> >> Hi Mike,
> >>
> >> The holding tank vent from the factory is a 5/8" fuel vent and vents out
> >> the
> >> side of the boat.  The hose leading to that is 3/4".  The factory used a
> >> makeshift technique to adapt the 3/4" hose to the 5/8" fitting. Not only
> >> is this
> >> prone to leak fumes, it isn't particularly waterproof.  If you have a boat
> >> with
> >> the Black plastic vent, this is designed in a way that can actually vent
> >> gasses
> >> back into the boat since no sealant is used on the fitting.  On top of
> >> that the
> >> baffles or screens in the vent prevents the tank from breathing.
> >>
> >> Last summer I did a fairly simple project to replace the vent hose with a
> >> quality hose and installed a 3/4" thru hull fitting similar to the bilge
> >> pump
> >> outlet thru hull.  The result was instant and dramatic.  Went from having
> >> holding tank smell in the head and aft cabin closet whenever the head was
> >> flushed to zero smell inside or outside the boat.
> >>
> >> This is (in my opinion) a must-do project.  Even though we flush with fresh
> >> water, there was always a smell in the aft cabin closet.  That is
> >> completely in
> >> the past now.
> >>
> >>
> >> There are pictures in my c320 website photo gallery of this project.  It
> >> took me
> >> a few hours one evening after work to do.
> >>
> >> Jeff Hare
> >> #809 Woodbine II
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Mar 30, 2012, at 7:03 PM, Jane & Ken <obuoy4848 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> >>
> >> > Mike,
> >> > On hull #219 (OBUOY) the tank vent is the one under the rub rail and no
> >> >stantion vent is present.  The "old" catalina boats did use the stantion
> >> as a
> >> >vent--bad stuff on deck when over full.  Ken
> >> >
> >> > --- On Fri, 3/30/12, Mike Ott <wmo48 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > From: Mike Ott <wmo48 at yahoo.com>
> >> > Subject: [C320-list] Holding Tank Vent
> >> > To: c320-list at catalina320.com
> >> > Date: Friday, March 30, 2012, 12:53 PM
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > According to my owners manual ('98), it shows the holding tank vent
> >> exiting
> >> >into
> >> >
> >> > a deck stanchion.  The stanchion has a small hole (1/8" +/-) through
> >> which the
> >>
> >> > tank vents.  I also have, what appears to be, an overflow vent located
> >> in the
> >> > hull just below the holding tank pump out deck-fitting.  Is this also
> >> acting a
> >>
> >> > vent for the holding tank ?  The reason for my question is the Feb '12
> >> article
> >>
> >> > in Practical Sailor that says holding tanks should have at least a
> >> minimum 3/4"
> >> >
> >> > vent to have an effective bacterial reaction.  Now maybe in '98 this
> >> > installation was acceptable but now ?  If my vent is only the 1/8" hole
> >> in a
> >> > stanchion, maybe I should go back to using bucket.  Knowing our group,
> >> I'm sure
> >> >
> >> > someone out there can give me the poop on this fragrant issue (I know,
> >> pretty
> >> > bad puns).
> >> > Mike Ott
> >> > 'Amanda Lu'
> >> > #508
> >>
> >>